OC Public Works Employees Recognized

By |February 9, 2011

Chairman of Supervisors Bill Campbell Tuesday, following through on his pledge to highlight the work of county employees, congratulated the people of OC Public Works for their work during the December storm that created historical rainfall and flooding in the county.

Public Works employees were the county’s first line of defense against the storm. Among other things, they muscled out the debris left by the mudslides and repaired drainage channels to help curb some of the flooding.

“I think your actions and behaviors during those storms lived up to making Orange County a safe healthy and fulfilling place to live, work and play: today and for generations to come,” Campbell said during a presentation during the Board of Supervisors’ regular meeting.

Many of the department’s orange-clad employees were in attendance.

Richard Sanchez recounted the efforts of he and others in San Juan Capistrano’s drainage channels and the canyons where some employees worked 48 hours straight.

He talked about dropping “terra rocks the size of Volkswagon bugs” into the channel in San Juan Capistrano to help curb some of the flooding that was threatening homes.

“It wasn’t just me, it was all the guys wearing the orange shirts,” Sanchez said, adding that December presented him with the biggest challenge in his nearly 10-year employment with the department.

Said Victor Valdevanez: “We worked 24 hours a day for that one whole week and we had zero injuries.”

Campbell, who took over as chairman in January, has said that the recognition of county employees will be a regular feature of meetings this year.

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